WBOB Original Reads

Five Reasons why Gina Raimondo will be Reelected

10/8/2018

Tyler Krusz

The Rhode Island Gubernatorial election is less than five weeks away. After being the first woman to be elected Governor of Rhode Island in 2014, Gina Raimondo is looking to stay in office for a second term. If Rhode Island elects her again, here are five of the main factors behind her victory.

Joseph A. Trillo: Anyone who watched the first gubernatorial debate had to imagine that it hurt Republican hopeful Allan Fung. With Raimondo in the middle, the Independent Candidate Trillo and Cranston’s Mayor fell into countless arguments, with Trillo’s wit and humor playing in his favor. While his numbers in polls are low to start, Trillo will be sure to gather support from Republican voters who are on the fence about Fung. He has several conservative views, and with two Republican mindsets in the election, Raimondo will figure to benefit from the split in votes. It’s Bob Healey all over again.

It’s still a Rhode Island Election: Picture this- Your kid’s football team is playing in a tournament about seven hours away. You and only a few of the parents make it up, and in the opening game, you’re scheduled to play the host team. There are about six of you in the stands, and it seems like six hundred fans of the other team. Congratulations- you’re a Republican voter in Rhode Island, wildly outnumbered and in need of a miracle for victory.

Campaign Funds: Anyone who paid attention to the primary knows Raimondo’s advantage financially. When things got close with Matt Brown, she released millions of dollars in negative advertisements against him. In the past, she’s used her funds in her campaigns with no second thoughts, and there’s nothing showing that she won’t unleash the beast on Trillo or Fung.

2014: Raimondo inherited a very poor state for her first term as Governor. Since then, she’s invested a ton into our infrastructure, education, and tons of other aspects. Rhode Island has improved from the 37th best state in the country to 17th under her leadership, and there are more people with jobs than the state has seen in 10 years. Despite her blemishes, she hasn’t been as terrible as the opposition makes it seem, and Democratic voters see that.

Young Voters: In 2014, only 13.7 percent of young voters turned out for the midterm election in Rhode Island. While it was a completely different election, recent trends in the country showed an increase in young voter participation in 2016, and that will likely continue through this election. Studies show that a high percentage of college students and recent college graduates, who are politically active, align themselves Democratically. The expected increase in young voters will certainly benefit the incumbent.

Click here to read 5 reasons why Raimondo will NOT be reelected